


Junon Canon

by inurclosets



Category: Compilation of Final Fantasy VII, Final Fantasy VII
Genre: Character Study, Enemies to Friends, M/M, Post-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-16
Updated: 2020-04-16
Packaged: 2021-03-01 22:47:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 925
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23684908
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/inurclosets/pseuds/inurclosets
Summary: Following the events of FF7R and picking up during the ceremony at Junon from the original game, Cloud is approached by a familiar face.Outside of Roche existing, there's no spoilers for FF7R present in this fic and it's a purely speculative piece with consideration given to how Roche will be worked into the plot of future installments.
Relationships: Roche/Cloud Strife
Comments: 6
Kudos: 38





	Junon Canon

Cloud was rusty with his march, doing his best to match the pace of the other candidates around him in what was comparatively weeks of practice and upkeep to Cloud’s none. He kept a stern face, matching the techniques of the other candidates in the march as closely as he could manage, usually falling a fraction out of sync with the rest of them.

The parade route through Junon seemed agonizingly longer than it felt when he had been stationed here years ago. The marching band just a few groups away from his own playing loudly through the streets with a series of motorcycles crawling slowly behind them.

One of those motorcycles broke formation, coming to the left side of Cloud’s marching group to crawl alongside where Cloud was attempting to blend in.

“Looks like you’re having some difficulty, my friend,” the voice was familiar for some reason and as Cloud looked over, he suddenly realized why. Roche. That wild Third Class SOLDIER he had battled back on the tracks and outside of the Shinra storage facility in Midgar.

Cloud scoffed, “Didn’t think they would make Third Class attendance mandatory for something like this. Does Shinra not have anything better for you to do?”

Roche laughed, “They invited me here in a show of good faith. Apparently the new President would like to make amends for the former’s more negligent behavior.”

“I don’t buy it,” Cloud remarked coldly.

Roche grinned, “My, my, for a lowly cadet, you certainly seem to have no issue speaking your mind. And here I was going to offer you some special advice.”

“Advice?” Cloud looked over at Roche, forgetting for a moment as to where he was and how he was dressed.

“As long as you can follow directions, you’ll be fine. Regardless of what you choose, dedicate yourself to it. That way, even if you’re wrong, you’ll at least look like you know what you’re doing,” Roche grinned, leaning over the handlebars of his bike as he coasted casually beside Cloud, “It will just look like everyone else is following the wrong routine.”

Cloud huffed out his nose, “Duly noted.”

Roche kept staring at him as he rode his bike slowly, “When all of this is over, come find me. I’d very much enjoy another dance with you, my friend.”

Cloud looked at Roche in surprise, suddenly aware that Roche saw through the disguise but the other man hardly seemed to pay Cloud much mind beyond that, bringing his bike up on it’s back tire before suddenly speeding off and disrupting another part of the parade that he probably wasn’t meant to fall out of formation for. The other members of Cloud’s marching party seemed distracted by the sudden squeal and burning of tires next to them and the marching band ahead completely lost their place in the song as they scrambled to get out of the way. The man on the bike hooted and hollered as he disrupted the otherwise organized format of the parade, causing Cloud to sigh and shake his head before resuming the format he had before.

_ Did all third class SOLDIERs get away with antics like that, or was Roche some sort of special exemption? _

Cloud hadn’t been prepared to be one of the squads chosen specifically to perform in front of the new president of Shinra but took Roche’s advice to heart as he did his best to follow directions. He hadn’t even really caught sight of the SOLDIER idling off to the side of the ship until he himself had snuck aboard.

“Glad to see you could make it, my friend!” Roche greeted him in a chipper manner, “Looking forward to enjoying the sights and smells of the ocean?”

Cloud frowned, “...Shouldn’t you be reporting me to someone?”

Roche snorted, “What fun would that be when my greatest joy would simply be to dance with you again? You had agreed to another match with me, yes?”

Cloud shrugged, not really sure how to respond to that, “This doesn’t really seem like the most appropriate place for that.”

“Join me on the lower deck,” Roche invited as he got off his bike, to take a walk, “There’s a training area there we can use where no one will be the wiser about who you are or why you’re here.”

Cloud sighed, shaking his head but following Roche nonetheless.

The training arena worked perfectly as a private dual zone, allowing Cloud the opportunity to don his usual attire and fight Roche on one one, uninhibited. They may have broken the machine slightly by the time they were done as it was intended to be used while wearing a headset but regardless, the two slipped out of the training simulator as if nothing had happened.

“That was fun,” Roche winced, holding his side, “You’re a lot stronger than you look. I am so very impressed.”

“Hm,” Cloud remarked as he made sure the helmet was once again secure, “I don’t get you….”

Roche seemed to take that as a compliment, “Let’s do this again sometime, my friend.”

“Shouldn’t you focus on recovering first?” Cloud stated simply, “You shouldn’t be so eager to fight someone you just lost to. ...Twice.”

Roche merely chuckled instead, shaking his head, “When you provide me with such euphoria? I can hardly contain my excitement.”

“....Whatever,” Cloud looked away and took his leave while Roche leaned against the exterior training arena wall with his arms folded across his chest.

“I’ll be here, should you want me,” Roche remarked with a smile.

**Author's Note:**

> I may do more with this concept more in future? I'd really like to explore their relationship and all the aspects that make Cloud & Roche so similar and yet so intensely different to one another but I'm still trying to figure out the best way to approach those ideas. I hope you enjoyed this small little test piece I put together to explore their dynamic!


End file.
